INTRODUCTION
Middletown Christian School athletics serves to give our students the means to translate Christian values into action. Since MCS first opened its doors in 1972, athletics have played a vital role in the formational process which enables this translation to take place.
Through participation in athletics, the M.C.S. athlete matures and learns to take responsibility for his/her growth as a person by developing loyalty, pride, integrity and commitment. As athletes seek the challenges of competition, even at the risk of failure, they learn that success demands the development and integration of physical skill and intellectual preparedness. Activities enable our athletes to share their God-given talents for the betterment of others -- rather than their own glory. Students are required to demonstrate a willingness to commit the necessary time, give a determined effort, and place the team above self-interests.
MCS ATHLETIC MISSION STATEMENT
Middletown Christian School athletics provides an atmosphere where student-athletes can develop their physical, mental, social, emotional and spiritual gifts through the avenue of athletic competition. MCS athletics seeks to be a catalyst that helps develop a lifestyle of character, integrity, discipline, hard work and leadership. Athletics provide a wonderful opportunity to develop and practice skills and lessons that are learned in the classroom and can be used to help educate and develop our student-athletes as they mature.
It is the intent of the MCS Athletic Department to provide student athletes opportunities to glorify our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with their God given talents and abilities. Our hope is that all who participate in the athletic program will grow to become more like Jesus as a result of their involvement in MCS athletics. The interscholastic athletic program at MCS is an integral part of the entire school program. It is never to be thought of as being separate from, above, or beneath any program of our school. The athletic program supports and reinforces the mission and purpose of Middletown Christian School and Grace Baptist Church.
Interscholastic sports provide opportunities for participants to demonstrate Christian values, such as humility, compassion, and respect while under the stress of competition. The MCS Athletic department is committed to the development of Christian values in our athletes, our coaches and our spectators. Each and every game, practice, and/or event brings an opportunity for Christian student athletes and coaches to bring honor to the name of Jesus Christ by using all of their gifts and talents for his glory.
MCS offers a variety of middle school and high school athletic teams for student-athletes to participate in. While athletics are committed to competing well, there are different expectations at the middle school and high school levels. Participants in the MCS athletic program will experience the privilege and responsibility of membership on a team. As a team member, student athletes will learn his/her level of responsibility to his/her fellow teammates, the coach, the spectators, the school, and the members of opposing teams. Participation teaches the important life lesson of placing group goals ahead of personal goals, how to make personal contributions to the welfare of the team and treat all team members with respect and dignity. More than mere self-control, sportsmanship is being thoughtful, kind, generous, and courteous even while being competitive. Interscholastic sports teaches students how to win and lose with grace, and dignity while exhibiting respect for oneself and members of the opposing team.
With this philosophy as the cornerstone, the following pillars build out a fully Christian perspective for MCS athletics and help direct us toward Christ-like behavior and attitudes.
Pillar 1: The most important quality of a Christian athlete is to glorify God.
Pillar 2: Developing character in our athletes.
Pillar 3: Helping student athletes understand their self-worth and performance are not linked.
Pillar 4: Allowing God to grant victory or defeat.
Pillar 5: Teaching students the value of respect and submission to authority.
Pillar 6: Providing an athletic experience that educates the whole person.
We should always remember that, first and foremost, Middletown Christian’s number-one priority is to lift up the name of Jesus Christ and to bring honor to Him. Coaches, administrators, teachers, athletes and parents must always remember that the Lord God is our Creator and that He blesses us with our abilities. Our actions both on and off the field are critical to our Christian witness and could possibly have eternal implications for another teammate, opponent, parent or coach. We should always strive to be in control of our words, temper and actions.
Balance
A significant distinctive at MCS is that our coaches do not expect their athletes to specialize in a single sport. Rather, we encourage them to play others if they want. Students who wish to specialize should have the opportunities to do so, but they should not be compelled to do so. We do ask that students only choose to play one sport per season.
Our coaches also want to see our students achieve to succeed and participate in other activities at school and church. However, coaches do expect athletes to be dedicated to practice and participation during the season. Due to this expectation students and parents MUST make sure that a student is NOT over committing themselves to too many things.
Opportunity
With a strong emphasis on participation, MCS seeks to provide
opportunities for anyone desiring to participate in sports, regardless of skill level, while maintaining a competitive balance. Students who may not be able to participate successfully on the court/field may find success off the court/field as managers, statisticians, or the team’s “Sport Information Director”.
BYLAWS
ARTICLE 1: CHAIN OF COMMAND
The chain of command is in place to best answer questions that may arise during the season. Coaches are the best contact for day to day questions. If you have a question about athletic department policy – please feel free to contact the Athletic Director directly. Otherwise please use the chain of command as we have endeavored to make this the Biblical outline of how to handle issues of concern and to maintain consistency within the athletic department, and to meet our mission statement, philosophy, and goals.
ARTICLE 2: CHAIN OF COMMAND - CONTACTS
1st Contact: TEAM’S HEAD COACH
2nd Contact: SPORT DIRECTOR (VARSITY HEAD COACH)
3rd Contact: ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
4th Contact: MCS Administration: Must be request by A.D. and parent
Final Contact: SCHOOL BOARD: Must be requested by MCS Administration and parent
While it may seem easier or quicker to speak with a School Board member, faculty member, M.C.S. staff member, or even a Grace Baptist Church staff member, it must be remembered that these individuals are often not equipped with the information to best answer your questions or concerns.
ARTICLE 3: AFFILIATIONS
Middletown Christian School is a charter member and participant in the Metro-Buckeye Conference, and a member of the Ohio High School Athletic Association. As such we agree to abide by their policies and by-laws in addition to our own. Should the policies of the organizations mentioned above conflict with the values of Middletown Christian School, we will no longer be affiliated with these organizations.
ARTICLE 4: HOME SCHOOL ATHLETES
Middletown Christian allows home school students to participate on our athletic teams. However, home school students will be required to:
4-1-1 Take a full time academic course
4-1-2 Adhere to all M.C.S. student handbook policies
4-1-3 Adhere to all M.C.S. athletic handbook policies
4-1-4 Adhere to all O.H.S.A.A. policies
ARTICLE 5 SPORTS SEASON
5-1-1 Once a student has participated in a practice, scrimmage or contest a student is considered an athlete of Middletown Christian Schools, according to the OHSAA. This designation shall continue through the end of the school year. As such, student athletes, are governed by the policies of the athletic handbook as well as by the school’s handbook until the conclusion of the school year.
ARTICLE 6 ELIGIBILITY
6-1-1 The Ohio High School Athletic Association sets minimum standards, via bylaws, for all athletes of member schools. These standards must be met for a student to be eligible for interscholastic competition. These standards are set realizing that schools will also create further standards to meet the goals and mission of their school. All academic information MUST be valid, current, and available to the athletic department.
Section 2 Initial Academic Eligibility
6-2-1 Students must have passed the equivalent of 5 credit hours the previous quarter. (Summer school courses can not be counted towards eligibility).
Section 3 Ongoing Eligibility
6-3-1 Students must maintain a cumulative 1.7 GPA or higher for eligibility.
Additionally, no more than one “F” may be on a student’s grade card to maintain eligibility.
6-3-2 Grades will be checked at progress report time of each quarter as well as at the end of each quarter. Students who become ineligible will have to sit out from game competition a mandatory two weeks.
6-3-3 At the completion of the two weeks grades will be checked again. If ALL grades are above 60% the student will be declared eligible. Otherwise the next check will be at progress reports or the end of the quarter. If the student is not eligible during that time- the student is declared ineligible for the remainder of the season, or until the end of the grading period (whichever comes first).
6-3-4 Here is the grading policy in list form (circumstances regarding the switching of seasons during a check will be explored):
1st check- progress report/end of the quarter
2nd check- 2 week period
3rd check- progress report/end of the quarter
6-3-5 A minimum of 5 grades must be taken in a course by progress reports for a student to be declared ineligible. If 5 grades have not been taken, a student will not be considered ineligible in that class regardless of the grade.
6-3-6 All students must meet all state and school eligibility requirements before being permitted to participate in athletics. If a student has not met the state eligibility requirements they must do so before being declared eligible. This would mean that a student may need to sit out a full quarter, or possibly an entire year before being declared eligible.
Students and parents should check BEFORE the season begins with any questions in regards to eligibility. Students that have any tuition balance from the previous school year will be considered ineligible for competition until the balance is paid in full.
6-3-7 An incoming transfer student to Middletown Christian School after grade 9, will be required to sit out 50% of game competitions for a sport that they played in the previous 12 months at another school. This is an OHSAA policy that Middletown Christian Schools follow since we are a member school. There is no negotiation on this policy.
ARTICLE 7 SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
7-1-1 Students must be present in school by 8:30 a.m. in order to attend or participate in any after school activity. If a student arrives after 8:30 a.m. the student must present a valid, signed excuse from a parent or doctor to be eligible for participation that day. Students who leave school early because of illness cannot participate in any after school activity that day unless they have attended 5/8th of the school day.
7-1-2 Students who must leave school early or miss a day of school for a valid excuse may participate in after school activities that day. Valid excuses would include, but are not limited to: College visits, funerals, court hearings, doctor appointments, and emergencies.
ARTICLE 8 PHYSICALS and RELEASE FORMS
8-1-1 Students-athletes must have a valid OHSAA physical that is current for the ENTIRE SEASON, and a parental permission form on file in the athletic office. This must be received BEFORE the season begins for a student to be eligible to participate in interscholastic practices and competitions.
ARTICLE 9 QUITTING OR REMOVAL FROM TEAM
9-1-1 A student who either quits or is removed from a team is declared ineligible for any other team or sport the remainder of that season.
9-1-2 Not being selected for a team is not considered being removed from a team.
9-1-3 In the event that an athlete needs to be removed from a team, the head coach shall call for a meeting between the coach, athletic director, athlete, and a parent.
9-1-4 The athlete will have the option to appeal a decision of removal to the principal. However, the athlete will remain ineligible during the time of appeal.
9-1-5 Parents who feel that they can not abide by the school’s eligibility process should not allow their student to begin participation in a sport, and then pull the student off a team if their (the parents) personal eligibility requirements are not met.
ARTICLE 10 PRACTICES
10-1-1 Athletes shall attend all scheduled practices.
10-1-2 Scheduled practices shall conclude no later than 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
10-1-3 Wednesday practices are permitted, and considered mandatory. They shall conclude by 5:00 p.m.
10-1-4 No Sunday practices are permitted.
10-1-5 No Holiday practices will be required, but may be optional.
10-1-6 Students who stay after school for late practices must report to late stay. Students in the lobby/hallway areas without a teacher/coach present after 3:00 pm will receive a detention. Students in late stay will be allowed to stay free of charge until 4:00 p.m.
Section 2 EXCUSED ABSENCES
10-2-1 Reasons that are excusable are: Direct family members wedding, direct family members death or expectation of death, sudden hospitalization, MCS related trips, or major youth group/church activities, and 1 college visit per season for seniors.
10-2-2 Attendance at M.C.S. events will be considered excused for the sake of post season awards, and will not count against an athlete in regards to lettering requirements or special award consideration. However, due to loss of practice time and possible missing of games, playing time may be reduced or non-existent until the head coach feels the athlete is prepared to return to competition.
10-2-3 If a practice or game must be missed then a written notice must be presented to the head coach one day prior to the missed practice or one week prior to a missed game (except in cases of where family could not anticipate the need to miss).